Vehicle wheel



H. J. HORN VEHICLE WHEEL Aug. 16, 1938.

Filed July 5, 1935 INVENTOR. #14519) J HOE/V ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 16, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Wheel Corporation, tion of Michigan Mich a corpora- Application July 5, 1985, Serial No. 23.821

7 Claim.

This invention relates generally to vehicle wheels and more specifically to the combination with a vehicle wheel of an ornamental cover therefor and novel means for attaching the cover to the wheel.

Broadly stated the invention consists in the provision of a wheel and cover adapted to be detachably connected to each other solely by means oi inserting resilient projections formed integral m with one of said elements into cooperating openings provided in the other element. In its preferred embodiment the invention consists inproviding a cover having integral peripheral projections adapted to be sprung into resilient engagement with cooperating portions of thewheel body.

The prei'erred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a partial sectional view of a vehicle wheel having an ornamental cover and a hub cap detachably connected thereto;

Figure 2 is a partial front view in elevation oi the structure shown in Figure l with parts broken away;

Figure 3 is a partial front view of an alternative form of ornamental cover;

a Figure 4 is a partial sectional view of the cover shownin Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a plan view 01' an edge portion of m) the cover shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The wheel oi Figure 1 includes a hub ID, a brake drum I I, a wheel body l2, a rim l3, an ornamental cover I3 and a hub cap l5. The hub ill is of conventional form and includes the radial attaching flange Illa to which the brake drum and wheel body are attached by means of the cap screws IS. The rim I3 is fastened to the. wheel body l2 by means of rivets ll (see Figure 2).

The bolting on portion ll of wheel body i2, 4 through which cap screws I5 extend, lies axially inwardly of the axially outermost portion of the wheel body. outwardly of the bolting on flange the wheel body is provided with short stubby spoke portions I9. The space between the spokes form with the rim i3 attaching openings which cooperate with projections on the cover II to detachably connect the latter to the wheel body.

The cover I4 is of generally disk-like formation having a large central opening 20 affording no access to the bolting on flange l8 when the cover is attached to the wheel. The cover is adapted to conceal most oi the wheel body outwardly of the bolting on flange l8. At its periphery the cover is provided at spaced intervals with 55 resilient integral projections 2| projecting axialiy and radially inwardly. These projections are adapted to be inserted into the openings between the spokes i9 and to resiliently engage the edge of the wheel body between the spokes. The outer extremities oi projections II are preferably 5 turned radially outward to facilitate springing the projections over the edge oi the wheel body. The cover I! is preferably iormed with but tour of the integral projections 2|. or groups of projections, equally spaced about its periphery 10 although more or less may be used if desired. Where four equally spaced projections or groups of projections are employed, the cover may advantageously be formed from a square blank oi metal. In such case the excess metal at the 15 corners of the blank provide the necessary material for the projections. This method of forming the cover minimizes the amount of waste metal.

The hub cap i5 is attached to the wheel body so l2 by means of resilient attaching clips 22 carried by bolting on flange l8. These clips are adapted to be sprung into interlocking engagement with a peripheral portion of the hub cap when the latter is pressed axially toward the wheel. Hub 5 cap i5 is of suitable formation to conceal that portion oi. wheel body i2 which lies radially inward of the portion concealed by the cover I. It will of course be apparent that cover l4 may be formed without a central opening, in which case hub cap l5 may be dispensed with entirely. The cover 23 illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5 is provided at its' periphery with spoke-like ribs 2! separated by depressions or valleys 25. The valleys 25 include the integral axial extensions 26. These extensions are provided with small radially inwardly extending tongues or projections 21 adjacent their outer extremities. Cover 23 is also provided. as in the case of cover M, with a large central opening 28. In mounting cover 23 upon wheel body l2, the extensions 26 are inserted into the openings between spokes IB and the radially outer edge of the wheel body between the spokes is engaged by the fingers 21. It will be noted that fingers 21 are formed to facilitate the installation of the cover upon the wheel body and at the same time to prevent its accidental dislodgment. The extensions 26 are sufficiently resilient to permit the re moval of the cover by flexing these extensions.

The invention has been herein shown and described as applied to but one form of wheel body in combination with but two forms of covers. Those skilled in the wheel art will of course appreciate that the invention may be applied to various other combinations of wheel bodies and covers.

The scope of the invention is indicated in the appended claims.

I claim: I

1. In a wheel including a wheel body, an ornamental cover for the wheel body comprising a disk-like plate having circumierentially spaced integral projections at its periphery extending axially and radially inwardly thereof, said projections adapted to be sprung into concealed resilient engagement with cooperating portions of the wheel body.

2. In a wheel including a wheel body provided with attaching openings, an ornamental cover for the wheel body comprising a disk-like plate hav ing spaced integral projections at its periphery extending axially and radially inwardly thereoi', said projections adapted to be sprung into concealed resilient engagement with the openings-in sprung into concealed resilient engagement with cooperating portions or the wheel body intermediate the spolte portions thereoi.

4. In a wheel including a wheel body provided with attaching openings, an ornamental cover for the wheel body comprising a plate having radial spoke like ribs adjacent its periphery and axially extending valley portions between said ribs, said valley portions constituting attaching projections adapted to be sprung into concealed resilient engagement with the openings in the wheel body.

5. In a wheel including a wheel body having circumierentially separated spoke portions, an 5 ornamental cover for the wheel body comprising a plate having radial spoke like ribs adjacent its periphery and axially extending valley portions between said ribs, said valley portions constituting attaching projections adapted to be sprung into 1 the spoke ribs and constituting attaching elements adapted to be sprung into concealed resilient engagement with the wheel body about the, openings therein, said projections including radially extending fingers at their axially inner extremities adapted to lock the projections 2 in engaged relation to the wheel body.

7. In a wheel including a wheel body provided with attaching openings, an ornamental cover for the wheel body comprising a disk-like plate having circumferentially spaced attaching projections adjacent its periphery extending axially and radially inwardly thereof, said projections adapted to be sprung into concealed resilient engagement with the wheel body.

HARRY J. HORN. 35

0| so LAI M E R 2,127 ,220.-Harr'y J. Horn, Lansing, Mich. VEHICLE WHEEL. Patent dated August 16, 1938. Disclaimer filed April 6, 1939, by the assignee.

Gorporation.

Motor Wheel flicial Gazette May 2, 1939.] 

